October 27, 2010 10:08 PM

The Lima News

State Rep. Matt Huffman has become one of Ohio’s more respected legislators. This shouldn’t surprise anyone.

Huffman is doing the same thing as a state lawmaker that he did while serving on Lima City Council. He listens to his constituent’s concerns and makes himself accessible; he is approachable to fellow legislators on either side of the aisle; he’s willing to explain himself; and he is open to working across political differences. Combine his demeanor, his work ethic and his fiscal conservatism with his ascension within the Republican Party — which could control both houses of the Ohio General Assembly — and Huffman is well-suited to represent the interests of Allen County. We think he is the hands down choice for voters in the 4th District of the Ohio House.

Huffman, 50, a Republican, is one of the few politicians from either major party to have put any serious thought into addressing the looming state budget hole. The Lima attorney cannot come up with a list of $8 billion in cuts, true, but he has at least started down that road. Neither party’s gubernatorial candidate offered specific cuts, but more importantly to this race, neither did Connie Miller, a Democrat.

Huffman is pitching a number of approaches to addressing a big dollar problem. Reducing the number of state agencies would save Ohio $1.2 billion, he says. Eliminating the random auto insurance verification program would save $800,000. He has others.

He also is vehemently against new taxes. It isn’t some tea party-come lately stance either. Huffman took a leading role — the only one in city government to do so — against a large percentage hike in Lima’s income tax. Huffman said then, and he’s said during this campaign, that the income tax punishes work. He’s right.

Huffman also was an early supporter of the move to eliminate Ohio’s income tax altogether, joining a number of states that have found some success doing so. That effort has gone nowhere, but with Huffman continuing in a House leadership role it likely would gain steam next year.

Miller, 60, has chastised Huffman as being in the pocket of wealthy business owners. She has based that claim on the campaign contributions he receives. In doing so, however, she fails to acknowledge that he has such a huge war chest because people support his ideas and the job he has been doing.

Miller, has been more wishy-washy. The Lima insurance agent doesn’t outright support any new taxes, she said, but she wants the tax system to be more fair. We’ve heard that talk before — and we continue to think of it as laying the groundwork for tax increases.

Huffman also has railed against regulations. Republicans will keep control of the Ohio Senate, but control of the House is still in question. Regardless of who wins the gubernatorial race, we assume — once the budget is worked out, or even as part of it — a rejuvenated Republican Party would remember its roots and force a discussion and action on regulations.

Huffman also has been on the right side of school choice. He advocates greater choice for parents, but he has also been a proponent of public schools. One needs only look at the work he did behind the scenes to locate Lima Senior High School where it is. Lima government positions are nonpartisan, but we all knew Huffman is a Republican and Lima Mayor Dave Berger is a Democrat. Huffman had no problem during his tenure on City Council working with those with basic philosophical differences.He deserves a third term representing the 4th District in the Ohio House.

Columbus—State Representative Matt Huffman (R-Lima) today announced the passage of House Bill 276 from the Ohio House of Representatives. This legislation revises the state policy regarding telecommunications service and repeals current law governing alternative regulation of telephone companies.

House Bill 276 will create a more favorable environment for competition in telecommunications, while retaining consumer safeguards and lead toward competitive pricing. It will help establish uniform regulations for telecommunication services and permit the industry to invest in Ohio’s infrastructure and technology, instead of overly burdensome regulatory compliance.

“This legislation takes Ohio one step closure to ensuring that there are consumer protections and affordable telephone rates for all Ohio telephone customers,” Huffman stated. “I was pleased to support this legislation.”

Since 2001, traditional landline telephone companies have lost 3 million customers due to increased competition from rapidly advancing technologies, including wireless and digital telephone service. More than 20 states have adopted telecom reform laws, which will spur investment in new technologies and create vital jobs.

House Bill 276 is supported by the Ohio Chamber, National Federation of Independent Business, Ohio Telecommunications Association, AT&T, and Institute for Policy Innovation.

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COLUMBUS—State Representative Matt Huffman (R-Lima) was  awarded Watchdog of the Treasury Award for the 127^th General Assembly. The award recognizes key legislators or policymakers every year who work tirelessly to restore responsible limited government, lower taxes, encourage free enterprise and regulatory relief, and promote personal freedom.

“I am honored to receive this award from the United Conservatives of Ohio,” Huffman said. “I believe that the work that I am doing in Columbus represents the people and values of the 4th Ohio House District.” 

The award was presented at a breakfast ceremony in Columbus, held by the United Conservatives of Ohio. The United Conservatives of Ohio supports the responsible spending of taxpayers’ dollars, the elimination of government waste, and the free-market system of competition among private sector firms.

COLUMBUS – Representative Matt Huffman (R-Lima) testified on his legislation that could help Ohio’s counties deal with their economic difficulties.

“I was pleased to be afforded the opportunity to provide sponsor testimony to the committee members,” Huffman stated. “House Bill 389 is designed to give local control to each Ohio county to decide what best works for their current economic condition.”

Huffman’s proposal is two-fold. One provision involves the funding of County Reserve Balance Accounts. These accounts are accounts that taxing authorities, such as boards of county commissioners, may create to accumulate deposits from current revenue to meet future spending needs. They were first authorized in 1995 as “rainy day” funds to stabilize budgets against cyclical changes in revenue and expenditures. Under current law, the amount of funds that may be deposited each year in any rainy day account is limited to 5% of the prior-year revenue credited to the fund in which the account is created. The proposal seeks to change the 5% threshold by authorizing counties to increase the amount credited to rainy day reserve balance accounts to one-sixth of the expenditures made in the preceding fiscal year.

Additionally, the legislation would authorize counties to adopt a direct deposit payroll policy. Many employers across the state pay their employees by direct deposit only. This legislation would allow county governments to have the same option on the table.

“Hopefully, this legislation will receive bipartisan support in the committee process,” Huffman added. “To allow our county governments to do what they must in these economic conditions is a nonpolitical issue that neither side should ignore.”

Columbus—State Representative Matt Huffman(R-Lima) today announced the passage of House Bill 318 by the Ohio Legislature. The measure will suspend the final installment of the income tax reductions set forth in 2005, obligating Ohio’s taxpayers to pay nearly $900 million in new taxes.

The Senate version of H.B. 318 is a better budget solution than the House Democrat version forced over to the Senate, because it includes measures to test construction reforms and reduce costly mandates on school districts. Among the Senate amendments were initiatives to waive all-day kindergarten mandates for districts that cannot afford it and a pilot project for construction rules. These amendments will reign in government spending and ease the burden on vulnerable school districts.

“One bright note on this budget language is that Ohio’s school districts will not be forced to provide all-day kindergarten,” Huffman stated. “Allen County schools do not need another unfunded mandate coming from Columbus to add to their current budget situations.”

House Republicans have maintained steadfast opposition to the tax increase included in the House version because it failed to accompany any cost-containment measures, thereby disproportionately growing the size of state government. Governor Strickland and House Democrats supported the retroactive 4.2 percent tax increase while disregarding all House Republican initiatives to reduce wasteful government spending.

Although House Republicans believe that the deficit and tax increases could have been avoided by responsible budgeting and enacting multiple cost-efficiency measures, they concur that the Senate bill strikes a better balance for Ohio’s immediate and long-term needs.

 “I could not support this budget language because it is a tax increase on Ohio’s hard working families,” Huffman stated. “It is only a temporary solution and avoids the tough decisions that should have been made by the Governor and General Assembly.”

COLUMBUS – State Representative Matt Huffman (R-Lima) today introduced legislation to help Ohio’s counties deal with their economic difficulties.

“All 88 Ohio counties will have another tool in their toolboxes to deal with their local budgetary issues,” Huffman said. “It is my intent to give all local officials the resources they need to help address their daily local financial struggles.”

Huffman’s proposal is two-fold. One provision involves the funding of County Reserve Balance Accounts. These accounts are accounts that taxing authorities, such as boards of county commissioners, may create to accumulate deposits from current revenue to meet future spending needs. They were first authorized in 1995 as “rainy day” funds to stabilize budgets against cyclical changes in revenue and expenditures.

Under current law, the amount of funds that may be deposited each year in any rainy day account is limited to 5 percent of the prior-year revenue credited to the fund in which the account is created. The proposal seeks to change the 5 percent threshold by authorizing counties to increase the amount credited to rainy day reserve balance accounts to one-sixth of the expenditures made in the preceding fiscal year.

“This increase will allow counties to save more money when economic times and revenue sources are good,” Huffman stated. “This change would allow counties to have additional funds on hand when the economy is in a downturn.”

Additionally, the legislation would authorize counties to adopt a direct deposit payroll policy. Many employers across the state pay their employees by direct deposit only. This legislation would allow county governments to have the same option on the table.

“This could save all Ohio counties money if they did not have to process paper paychecks,” Huffman added. “I should note that this is not a mandated requirement for all counties to follow. It is just another option to give local control to our county governments to decide what best works for their current budget situation.”

This legislation will be assigned to an Ohio House committee for further discussion.

COLUMBUS— State Representative Matt Huffman (R- Lima) yesterday opposed the Ohio House of Representatives’ passage of House Bill 318, which would suspend the last installment of the income tax reductions set forth in 2005.

Under current law, state income tax rates are to be reduced by a total of 21 percent over a five-year period, according to House Bill 66 of the 126^th General Assembly. Governor Strickland and House Democrats have supported a freeze of the tax reforms, which would retroactively increase the tax burden on Ohio’s families by 4.2 percent in 2009.

“To raise taxes for Ohio families is not the right thing to do,” Huffman said. “I will not support tax increases for Ohioans.”

In addition, House Bill 318 would reduce the salaries of state legislators by 5 percent, a proposal initially championed by Representatives Seth Morgan (R-Huber Heights) and Terry Boose (R-Norwalk) in June of this year. The salary reductions would be effective starting in 2011, as permitted by the Ohio Constitution.

Unlike Morgan and Boose’s House Bill 210, the salary reduction clause of House Bill 318 strips out key pieces of the Republican proposal. It fails to apply to both the executive and legislative branches, and it omits a sunset provision that uses Ohio’s economy as the benchmark. For those reasons, House Republicans were reluctant to support House Bill 318 because it completely stripped the merit of their original idea to an oversimplified adaptation.

House Bill 318 was initiated to fill an $851 million budget deficit caused by the failure of the video lottery terminals (VLT) provision included in July’s biennial budget. House Republicans have expressed concern that the bill imposes a higher tax burden and continues the expansion of government without providing for any cost-efficiency measures.

In an effort to provide sustainable changes to fill the budget deficit, House Republicans proposed amendments to House Bill 318 on the House floor that would streamline government agencies and consolidate spending; minimize waste, fraud and abuse in the Medicaid system; allow local school boards to decide whether to accept unfunded state mandates; and create a committee to maximize hospital employment and sustainability. These suggestions were rejected by House Democrats.

“The Democrats never gave these cost-saving ideas a chance,” Huffman stated. “This legislation only delays the tough choices that will have to be made in order to balance the state budget.”

 House Bill 318 passed from the House by a 55-44 vote.  The bill now moves to the Senate for further consideration.

COLUMBUS – Representative Matt Huffman (R-Lima) today announced his intention to introduce legislation that would authorize school districts to sell commercial advertising space on school buses.

“It is my intent that this legislation will help school districts across Ohio generate revenue to fill in budgetary gaps,” Huffman said. “This could be another option that school districts would have on the table instead of going to voters for bond issues or income tax increases.”

The legislation would authorize Ohio school boards to limit the sale of advertising space to for-profit entities and prohibit the sale of advertising space for alcohol, tobacco, gambling or anything of a sexual nature. School districts will also establish a committee of district administrators and attorneys to approve all the school bus advertisements sold by the district.

“This legislation can help both Ohio schools and local businesses at the same time,” Huffman said. “Schools can collect the advertising dollars and local businesses can have another option to attract customers to their establishments.”

The bill will now be assigned to an Ohio House of Representatives committee for further discussion.

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